No happy news for either the exhibitors or the trade in general, so far. The poor run of films continues and, releasing new films in this dull period, adds to the woes.
The week saw the release of four films in Simran, Lucknow Central, Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi and BA Pass 2. While there were no hopes from Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi and BA Paas 2, whatever little was expected was from Simran while Lucknow Central had lost its novelty value to Qaidi Band, a recent film on a similar theme.
Lucknow Central, the film about jail inmates forming a music band needed strong musical score where it was found lacking. Also, for drab film that it is, the length of almost 2 and half hours made it unbearable. And, that too watching no presentable face on the screen except the sole glam face of Diana Penty.
Simran held some promise on the fan following Kangana Ranaut created due to her brave stand she has taken against the mighty ones in the industry if not for the film’s content. Hansal Mehta, the director, who usually makes films from real life events, tried fiction this time and ended up choosing a story about a negative protagonist. Kangana’s character in the film lacks in logic that a woman can be nasty who revolts against everybody for no reason.
Last week’s releases, Poster Boys and Daddy remained poor failing to get enough footfalls. The collections remained hopelessly low.
*Lucknow Central had a poor opening of about Rs 18 million on its opening day. The film showed a negligible rise on Saturday and Sunday to end its opening weekend with a total of Rs 72.5 million. The film’s prospects Monday onwards look dim.
*Simran had an average opening day of Rs 25 million, showed a decent raise on Saturday but remained stagnant on Sunday to take its opening weekend total to Rs 93 million.
*BA Pass 2 sinks without a trace. Mostly, no audience, no show status.
*Patel KI Punjabi Shaadi, in the making since 2014, is a damp squib. The film was released sans due promotion and the result is utter waste of two very talented actors, Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. The opening day collections were very poor remaining in lakhs: 25 lakh for the opening day and will end its opening weekend with about Rs 700 million.
*Poster Boys, a remake of the Marathi film, Poshter Boyz, fails to match up to the original. Despite the Deol brothers in the cast, the film remains below par even in their strong areas, Delhi and Punjab. Having opened to poor houses, the film could manage barely Rs 107.5 million in its first week.
*Daddy, another Don biopic on the life of Arun Gawli, fails. The films on underworld, even the Mumbai dons, don’t work and Daddy joins the list. The film collects Rs 64 million in its first week.
*Badshaho adds Rs 105 million in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 649 million. The film needs to do the business of about Rs 1 billion to recover.
*Shubh Mangal Savdhaan has done well in its second week by adding Rs 104 million and taking its two week total to Rs 327 million.
*Bareilly Ki Barfi adds Rs 13.5 million in its fourth week to take its four week tally to Rs 332.5 million.
*Toilet Ek Prem Katha collects Rs 50 lakh in its fifth week taking its total business to Rs 1.3 billion.
